Last summer, a few months after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Zac Efron was spotted frequently in Australia with a woman named Vanessa.
No, not that one. Australian model Vanessa Valladares. She reportedly met the 33-year-old High School Musical alum in the country while waitressing. The two soon sparked romance rumors and last September, E! News confirmed they were dating. Efron and Valladares would go on to be photographed together in Australia, where he rented a house, several times over the next few months.
"He's very happy being with Vanessa and living in Australia," a source close to Efron told E! News on Thursday, April 1. "It's changed his life for the better."
The source continued, "They started dating in July and have been together since. They love to travel locally and are very adventurous. They love skiing, surfing and hanging out with both his and her friends. They spend a lot of time outdoors just chilling. She quit her job so she can have the flexibility to travel with him. They are on the same page with that and it's working out for them."
Efron and Valladares, 25, have not commented publicly about their relationship.
In December 2020, months after the romance began, the actor put his Hollywood Hills mansion up for sale for $5.9 million. The price was knocked down to $5.5 million this past March.
Efron's career has also taken him Down Under. In 2019, the actor filmed the Quibi adventure series Killing Zac Efron on the island country of Papua New Guinea, located north of Australia and 2.5 hours away by plane. That December, it was reported that he was airlifted to a hospital in the Australian city of Brisbane after falling ill during filming.
He later posted on Instagram, "I did get sick in Papua New Guinea but I bounced back quick and finished an amazing 3 weeks in P.N.G. I'm home for the holidays with my friends and family. Thanks for all the love and concern, see you in 2020!"
Last year, Efron filmed a Netflix travel show, Down to Earth with Zac Efron, all over the world. He began filming season two in Australia this past March.
On Tuesday, March 30, Efron and Valladares were photographed hiking with friends in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Check out photos of the two together over the past year.